Organizers have cancelled two Santa Claus Parades scheduled to be held in New Brunswick towns later this year.
The 68th annual Saint John Santa Claus Parade and the 16th Annual Lancaster Santa Claus Parade have been cancelled for the 2020 season.
“We understand the disappointment that you will have to not have this annual tradition to mark the Christmas Season, however we must always act on the side of safety and this is what we are doing,” a Facebook post read.
As Global News reported last month, the plan was to hold the traditional parades in Saint John and Lancaster on Nov. 14 and Nov. 21, respectively.
Organizers said one of their biggest concerns was the potential spread of COVID-19.
“We don’t want anyone to get sick,” said Blaine Harris, administrator of the Saint John and Lancaster Santa Claus parades. “We don’t want anyone to get COVID-19. We don’t want anybody hurt, either.”
Organizers were just waiting for the respective municipalities to sign off on the plan.
It’s not immediately clear what has caused the parade to be cancelled. Organizers didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
However, in the Facebook post, the Santa Claus Parade Committee said it would look to be back “bigger and better’ in 2021.
“It will give us something to focus on that will give us hope during this pandemic,” the Facebook post read.